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Times are tough for local businesses around the country right now, which is why Toledo head coach Jason Candle chose to do some goodwill in his local community.

After hearing about the economic struggles of Ed Beczynski, a local restaurant owner who has provided catered meals for Toledo football, Candle stepped in to help him out while providing some free meals for police and firefighters in Toledo. Candle bought lunch from Buczynski’s deli for the Toledo Police department and four local fire stations in Toledo.

“First and foremost, I wanted to help the people out on the frontlines,” Candle said in a phone interview last week, according to Yahoo! Sports. “But I really wanted to use it as a way to spark other people to get involved, too. These are tough times, uncertain times. I thought it was a way to try and make a small difference.”

The act certainly inspired others to do the same. Beczynski says orders have been flying in since Candle’s act of kindness, both for standard food orders and for similar orders to provide to first responders and those in the medical field fighting the coronavirus pandemic firsthand.

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Sometimes a player makes a hit so dirty, a head coach simply won’t waste time waiting to hear from the conference’s office regarding the player’s status moving forward. Such was the case for Toledo head coach Jason Candle when addressing a nasty hit delivered by defensive end Terrance Taylor Wednesday night against NIU. Toledo has suspended Taylor for the next game on the schedule, against Buffalo.

Taylor came in flying from behind NIU quarterback Ross Bowers well after the end of a play that saw Bowers fell to the ground and was getting up. Taylor lined into the back of Bowers with a helmet-to-helmet hit from behind on the unsuspecting quarterback.

Bowers was ejected from the game for targeting. Because the ejection occurred in the second half of Wednesday night’s game, NCAA rules would prohibit Taylor form playing in the first half of Toledo’s next game. But Candle and Toledo are going one extra step and just sidelining him for the entire game.

Head Coach Jason Candle announced that DE Terrance Taylor will be suspended for the entirety of next week's game at Buffalo. Taylor was ejected for targeting in 3Q of last night's game vs. NIU.

Taylor was required to sit out 1H of UT's next game. Candle said severity of the play required further action. “We are disappointed that this play occurred. It’s not something we coach. We’ll use it as a teaching tool for our team on the value of discipline in emotional times.”

“We are disappointed that this play occurred,” Candle said in a released statement. “It’s not something we coach. We’ll use it as a teaching tool for our team on the value of discipline in emotional times.”

Given the severity of the hit, some form of reprimand could also be in the works from the MAC, although it would seem Candle and Toledo are handling this appropriately with a full game suspension. College football simply doesn’t need those kinds of plays in the game.

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Toledo head coach Jason Candle promoted two staff members to new coaching positions, the school announced on Monday. Kevin Beard and Nate Cole will move from positions related to player development to be the new wide receivers coach and running backs coach, respectively.

Cole joined the Toledo coaching staff in 2016 after previously playing college football for the Rockets from 2006 through 2010 and serving as a graduate assistant from 2011 through 2013. Cole takes over the role on the coaching staff as running backs coach previously filled by Kerry Dixon, who has since departed the Toledo program to be the new wide receivers coach at Georgia Tech. Cole most recently held the title of Director of Player Development for one year after two years as the Director of Player Personnel.

Beard is a newer addition to the Toledo football staff, joining the Rockets a year ago after holding previous jobs at Miami, Georgia, and Tennessee. Beard takes over as wide receivers coach following the departure of Mike Bellamyto Illinois. Beard took over the role of Director of Player Personnel and Assistant Recruiting Coordinator for Toledo in 2018 when he joined the program.

“We are very excited to move Kevin Beard and Nate Cole into their new roles as position coaches,” Candle said in a released statement. “Both men have the experience necessary to assume the responsibilities as a position coach. Kevin has previously coached wide receivers at some very strong programs, while Nate has been an important part of our program as a player or coach for the better part of a decade. I know they will be a great addition to our program as we strive to get better every day.”